Sydney Roosters can't cash in on Sonny Bill Williams... yet

THE Roosters are eyeing a record-breaking season off the field, despite not being able to deploy their most potent marketing weapon until midway through next month.

With NRL salary cap auditor Ian Schubert taking almost a month to register the contract of Sonny Bill Williams, the Roosters were unable to include their prized signing in pre-Christmas membership campaigns.

The only evidence of his imminent arrival is a small headshot on a banner that runs along the top of the club's official homepage.

Prior to returning to Japan to complete his brief rugby stint with Panasonic Wild Knights, Williams was a daily visitor to Roosters pre-season training in November but the club officials could not leverage his status because he was not a registered player at the time.

Commercial boss Ted Helliar said there was also no opportunity to feature Williams in Roosters gear out of respect for his current contract in Japan.

With grudge match blockbusters against the Rabbitohs, Bulldogs and Dragons over the first seven weeks, Helliar is confident the wait will be worthwhile.

"Hopefully we can get some great crowds to those games that will set us up for the rest of the season," Helliar said.

"A lot of our numbers are already up from last year and we've only got a few sponsorship renewals to go."

Williams is expected to report for his first session of pre-season training a few days after his heavyweight boxing bout against Francois Botha in Brisbane on February 8.